For those of you looking for the “new or unusual” as we report in some of these articles, this week may seem a little mundane for readers seeking something exciting. Not that newsworthy incidents did not occur in this County last week but I try to avoid being redundant regarding drugs and crime.

In some ways were are fortunate that no major incidents have occurred recently, due to the lack of manpower this agency has been dealing with over the past two months. Your Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has been four patrolmen short lately, with three being out with surgeries. Two of these resulted from on-the-job injuries and the third was an off-duty accident. One of the on-duty injuries occurred during a dog attack on the deputy and the second happened during a foot chase.

This agency also recently lost a deputy who took a job with another law enforcement agency. This is expected on occasion due to deputies finding jobs at larger and/or higher paying departments. Even though the deputy who left was immediately replaced, we are confronted with a 3-5 month field training period before the new road deputy can be released to work solo.

This week it is expected that all three of the injured deputies will return to work, along with the new deputy being released from training. With a department that is very understaffed anyway, when four deputies are out, it makes a huge impact on the workload and response times to people needing law enforcement assistance. So needless to say, we welcome the return of a full staff this week.

Once again Cow Days returned to Dixon this past weekend, which resulted in a large draw of people from Pulaski and neighboring counties. Hopefully many of you had the opportunity to stop by and visit your deputies at the Sheriff’s Department booth, or those on foot patrol during the event. As usual, I enjoyed visiting with some of you while I was out there on Saturday.

I have been asked by numerous individuals recently about when we might start up the Town Hall meetings again. I am hoping for the next one to be around the end of October, or a few weeks afterwards. I really value the opinion and concerns of Pulaski County residents and these Town Hall meetings supply the prefect venue for us to visit. I should be announcing the next date and location in a few weeks.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

As always, stay safe and do something positive for your community. Sheriff Ronald Long

Beginning the week of August 17th, the Pulaski County area experienced over one dozen heroin overdoses within a 10 day period, in which it is suspect that three deaths in Richland and Waynesville were caused by heroin.

A multi-agency initiative was implemented to identify the sources from which this deadly heroin was coming from, and terminate their operations. A small, strike-team quickly located possible suspects throughout the County, and began executing Search and Arrests warrants. Resulting from this investigation, numerous individuals from Pulaski County and the Chicago, IL. area were arrested. In addition, a substantial amount of heroin was seized during the course of this endeavor.

Additional charges and arrests may be forthcoming from these cases. Officers and deputies from numerous Pulaski County law enforcement agencies participated in this investigation, and received assistance from the Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Sheriff Ronald Long

JEFFERSON CITY – Just two-and-a-half years after the completion of the most intense bridge program in the state’s history, the number of critical-condition bridges in Missouri is growing again.

After the latest round of bridge inspections, the number of bridges in critical need of attention has risen to 641 – 50 more than a year ago. State Bridge Engineer Dennis Heckman says that trend is likely to continue.

“When we completed the Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program in 2012, we stemmed the tide for a while,” he said. “But we knew that the curve would start going up again. Safe & Sound made a dent, however it did not repair or replace all of the state’s bad bridges. Now with a shrinking construction budget, the number of bad bridges is on the rise again.”

Missouri has 10,376 bridges on state highways, including 209 that are more than 1,000-feet long. While the Safe & Sound program replaced or repaired more than 800 bridges over four years, 50 to 100 fall into the “critical condition” category each year. Critical condition bridges are the state’s worst and with continued deterioration are just one or two steps from being closed.

“To get ahead of the game, we should be replacing more than 100 bridges per year,” Heckman said. “Instead, our funding levels are only allowing us to replace about 30. In 10 years, we’ll have about 1,500 bridges on the critical condition list.”

MoDOT also has about 1,400 bridges that have posted weight limits. Many of those are already on the list of critical condition bridges and many others are on the path to being added to the list.

Heckman stressed, however, that “critical condition” doesn’t mean unsafe. “We aggressively inspect our bridges. When we discover a problem that is a safety issue, we close the bridge,” Heckman said.

MoDOT currently has four bridges that were unexpectedly closed due to problems found. To learn more about them, go to http://www.modot.org/Bridges/

“The Sheriff’s View” (#134) Usually it is a law enforcement agency that is clearing traffic congestion from an auto collision or some type of incident, but instead on Thursday evening your Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) seemed to be creating such in downtown Waynesville. Pedestrians and drivers all slowed for a few moments of gawking time when passing by the Courthouse at around 5:45 PM, upon observing a lawn full of law enforcement employees. Most were probably anticipating some type of exciting event, possibly a drug raid or threatening situation, but were possibly a little dismayed when seeing it was just a photographer holding Sheriff’s Department employees at bay with her camera. About twice a year PCSD employees gather for a “all hands on deck meeting,” and last Thursday was one of them. Along with discussing many law enforcement matters, it was also an opportunity to photograph approximately 60 Sheriff’s Department employees and volunteers for some media publications that are forthcoming. For your Sheriff: well, it was just a proud moment, such as a parent might experience at a family reunion with all family members present. So, for those curious passer-byers last Thursday, you now have your explanation. Also on Thursday, I attended my first meeting of the Regional Homeland Security Oversight Committee in St. James. I joined several other area committee members, Crocker Police Chief Chris Twitchell and Waynesville Rural Fire Chief Doug Yurecko, who have been representatives on the committee for some time. Being the rookie member, it was definitely an informative, insightful and productive gathering, where matters regarding the safekeeping of our communities were discussed, along with disseminating grant money to public service entities in this region. In Pulaski County, several agencies were recipients of grant monies for the purchasing of equipment that will help them serve their communities in a more efficient manner. One thing that has always gained my respect while being a public servant is how many people and organizations actually donate time, food, services or items to public service entities, such as police, fire and EMS agencies. Ninety-nine percent of these kind hearted individuals fly under the radar by requesting that they receive no praise or pubic notoriety for their good deeds. There are many of the above in Pulaski County who have donated food, equipment, furniture and Narcan to this agency, who request to go unnamed. In keeping with the above, another person last week donated their time and special construction skills to help renovate a dilapidated room attached to our jail building, which is now a new break room for Sheriff’s Department employees. Deputies, jailers, dispatchers and civilian employees work around the clock and during inclimate weather conditions to serve their community. Having a room where they can now relax, eat and regenerate themselves while remaining at the office is very much appreciated. This is just another example of a local citizen doing a good deed for the community! Over the past several weeks, law enforcement officers and local citizens have been at a heightened state regarding the number of heroin overdoses in the area. To combat this devastating issue, I can assure this community that area law enforcement agencies and members of the Prosecutors office have been working around the clock to combat those who are disseminating this dangerous substance throughout the County. Last week numerous police strike teams were sent out throughout Pulaski County, arresting individuals that are/were responsible for distributing potent and lethal doses of heroin, along with confiscating their dangerous illegal drugs. Additional information about the above mentioned endeavors will be released either Monday or Tuesday, concerning this matter. This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook. As always, stay safe and do something positive for your community. Sheriff Ronald Long

FATALITY REPORT --- VEHICLE 1 WAS TRAVELLING WESTBOUND. PEDESTRIAN ENTERED THE ROADWAY, AND WAS STRUCK BY THE VEHICLE. SUBJECT WAS PRONOUNCED DECEASED AT THE SCENE BY CORONER MIKEL HARTNESS AT 1657 HRS. NEXT OF KIN HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ASSISTED BY CPL A N FULKERSON (697), CPL M A GOODSON (570), TPR M K EDEN (1326), PULASKI COUNTY AMBULANCE DISTRICT, PULASKI COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND ST ROBERT POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS TROOP I'S FIRST FATALITY FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, AND 19TH FOR 2015.

If I tried really hard I could probably tell you the exact date and time it began, as last week ended a five month long State audit for all Pulaski County offices, including the Sheriff’s Department. I must admit that the Auditors were very thorough in their duties and left no stones unturned, but the process was time consuming and tedious. Every county in Missouri is audited by the State every four years and this just happened to be our turn.

Very few people are familiar with the duties of a sheriff’s department when it comes to finances and reporting of monies and assets. Along with being accountable to your County Commissioners, Clerk’s Office and County Treasurer, this agency obtains numerous Federal and State grants that require monthly and annual reports. If these are not done satisfactorily, grant monies can be completely cut off, leaving this agency in financial strife.

After my final briefing with the State auditors, it appears that the audit of the Sheriff’s Department went pretty well. There are a few areas that we will be fine-tuning, but the individuals responsible for financial accountability in this agency are doing their jobs very well. The last topic is something that all office holders like to hear: all monies are accounted for!

Here we go with the topic about illegal drugs again; it is one that local law enforcement agencies have been addressing constantly, but the insanity continues. Last week was somewhat exciting for this agency but overshadowed with the gloom and tragedies from the consequences of heroin usage. As many of you know, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department began carrying Narcan in patrol cars two weeks ago and began last week with a successful Narcan save of a heroin overdose patient, which validated the decision to carry this life-saving drug. What followed was a continued downward spiral of suspected heroin overdoses that left two people dead, several critically injured and numerous others recovering from their near death experiences. Upon monitoring emergency calls for service and speaking with deputies, at least one dozen heroin overdoses were responded to- in cities and rural areas throughout Pulaski County, in just a matter of days.

It boggles my mind to see so many people actively involved with using this demonic substance (heroin), knowing that substantial health risks, or death, follows. On many occasions people ask me how the “War Against Drugs” is going. It would take writing a book to completely answer that question but honestly, law enforcement is losing the battle. Please understand that we have not abandoned the war and have been fighting fiercer than ever. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has logged over 1,000 drug arrests over the past 30 months, with other area agencies joining suit. Let me conclude by stating that drug addiction is an individual, family, community and societal problem, in which ALL OF US need to engage in the fight to save lives.

Crime statistics are reviewed monthly by your Sheriff, looking for trends and ways to better protect this community. Last month it was noticed that the number of thefts were elevated above the norm, which resulted from a couple of criminals who were entering unlocked cars and stealing items of value, ranging from women’s purses to firearms. These are opportunity thefts, which can be easily deterred by locking your vehicle. One simple tip, if you have a valuable in your vehicle ALWAYS keep the doors locked, and take them into your home upon arriving there.

On a parting note, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is always taking applications, especially for the position of Jailer. If interested, you can download an application from our web-site and drop it off at the Sheriff’s Department, 24/7.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

As always, stay safe and do something positive for your community. Sheriff Ronald Long

Last week marked the conclusion of two long awaited projects; one was the implementation of the “Narcan on Patrol” project, where State Representative Steven Lynch presented the first Narcan kit to one of your Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department deputies. I won’t go into a lot details about this, due to the great job that our media sources have done informing the community about the project.

The second project was the completion of an extensive criminal investigation involving the financial exploitation of several elderly individuals in our community. You may have seen a featured story last week with one media source, and I will be releasing a full story early this week with a few details about these new crimes. It is an ongoing endeavor for this agency to spread the message to the community about the many different fraud schemes that criminals undertake to deprive individuals out of their finances. The sad part of this story is these fraudsters target the elderly community, and through their sharp tongues or intimidating approaches are able to deprive our senior citizens out of retirement monies. My advice when confronted with someone that you are entrusting your finances with, or offering you a deal that is too good to be true, would be to consult with an attorney, financial expert or law enforcement agency, before surrendering your assets.

The ongoing effort to make the Pulaski County Jail a more modern facility continued last week with the installation of a technologically advanced and user-friendly telephone communications system. Inmates have constitutional rights when incarcerated in a penal facility, and telephone communication is one of them. I have to admit that inmate rights can encompass a long list that can be challenging at times, especially when a Sheriff has limited staffing. With this newly installed jail telephone system, inmates have additional phones to make calls to relatives, attorneys and bondsmen. This, in turn, frees up more time for the corrections staff to tend to other and more pressing duties.

Even though an inmate has certain rights when incarcerated, having carte-blanche to telephone services is not one of them and with the exception of a few initials calls, telephone calls are paid for by the inmates themselves. Also with this new system, the jail has the ability to add video conferencing, which can be used for video court arraignments and necessary conferencing with attorneys. I should add that none of the above features cost the Sheriff’s Department a penny.

I also attended two very impressive events last week, one being the graduation of 59 new Marine Corps Military Police officers on Ft. Wood. It was a great honor to speak to the group and to hear about their academy accomplishments, along with their new duty assignments to all corners of this earth. Seeing all of those young and eager law enforcement officers in my presence makes me reflect back to my rookie days, and the feelings of excitement and adventure that accompany them. New law enforcement officers initially receive months of additional training than those of decades past, and I have no reason but to believe that todays cops with be the best ever!

The second event was on Tuesday, when the Phelps County Regional Medical Center had the clinic’s grand opening in Waynesville. I enjoy seeing new additions to our community, which reflect the positive growth of this area. What a beautiful building the new clinic is, which will be offering an extensive number of medical services for our community.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

As always, stay safe and do something positive for your community. Sheriff Ronald Long

Gas prices are lowering, shopping malls and stores are busier, and parents are walking around wondering how the summer vacation passed so quickly. These are all signs that it’s once again time for the school year to begin, and I have to agree with many that I have recently spoken with about summer passing so quickly.

This week most schools throughout Pulaski County will be back in session, which means many things. First, motorists need to plan accordingly due to the increase of vehicle traffic we will all see, resulting in delays coming to and from destinations. Pedestrian traffic will also increase from the many students that walk back and forth to school. A suggestion for motorists would be to leave at least ten minutes sooner if your destination route takes you through a town, or school zone.

I will add that law enforcement agencies will be out in greater numbers during school zone times, helping to remind motorists to drive more attentive and within the speed limits. At times officers can be somewhat lenient with speed limits but this will not be the case if one is caught speeding through a school zone. For the protection of all children throughout your community, traffic laws must be strictly adhered to in school zones and these are “no tolerance” areas when it comes to tickets vs. verbal warnings. In other words, if you are caught violating traffic laws in school zones, you can receive a written invitation to pay a fine or visit a judge.

Along the lines of school safety, each year there are numerous criminal incidents throughout the country that occur on school busses. One topic relating to school bus incidents involve adults who enter a bus without authorization and initiate a conflict with a driver or student. These can be severe, as we saw two years ago in Alabama where an individual entered a school bus, shot the driver and kidnapped a student. In order to deter or prevent school bus incidents, many states throughout the nation (including Missouri) have enacted laws that prevent unauthorized persons from entering a bus. Unauthorized persons relate to about all individuals who do not work for the school system. So please, see your child to the bus but do not attempt to enter. Trespass of a School bus is a Class A misdemeanor, which can result in jail time.

On Monday, the long awaited program for putting Naloxone (Narcan) on patrol with deputies has arrived. Beginning tomorrow, most County patrol cars will be stocked with the drug Narcan, which is used to treat individuals who have overdosed on an opiate-based drug. This project began last year resulting from individuals and groups who helped form the Pulaski County Coalition against Drugs (formerly Heroin Action Committee), among other concerned citizens. These individuals/groups met with Pulaski County State Representative Steve Lynch, who then authored a House bill that would authorize first responders to administer Narcan to overdose patients. This proposed legislation flew through the House and Senate, and was signed into law last fall. After months of planning and training, Narcan goes on patrol this week in Pulaski County. I might add that your sheriff’s department will be the first one in the State of Missouri to carry Narcan. A full media story will be released this week.

I won’t go into a lot of detail because it would bore some readers, but the statewide Sheriff’s conference went well this week. Sheriffs are mandated by State Statute to attend this sessions twice a year, and with good reason. Numerous topics of business were discussed, debated and shared among the group. Many items pertained to laws, procedures and government mandates that have recently been passed down to the law enforcement arena. In addition to the above, numerous guest presenters gave training classes to attendees, relating to topics that Sheriffs are faced with on a continual basis, or to help prepare for or prevent futures incidents that have been sweeping the nation in recent years. This was one of the most informative and interesting conferences that I have attended over the years, and I am definitely looking forward to next year’s conference.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

For many children, riding the bus or walking to school represents a new level of freedom and maturity. It also creates new risks that you and your children should be aware of.

School buses are nearly eight times safer than passenger vehicles; however, a majority of bus-related deaths and injuries that do occur involve pedestrians - mostly children - who are struck by a bus or injured when they are exiting the bus to cross traffic.

Make every trip to and from school a safe one by following these guidelines:•Always stay in sight of the bus driver.•Don't hurry off the bus. Make sure to check traffic first.•Don't go back to the bus after exiting.The Safe Routes to School program makes bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative. By encouraging more students to walk, wheel or bike to school, the program encourages a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age.

This coming Monday, 08-10-2015, the drug Naloxone (Narcan), which is used on Opiate based drug overdose patients (i.e. heroin), will be going on patrol with Pulaski County deputies. We are presenting a media opportunity for each of you to observe some training, along with seeing State Representative Steve Lynch hand off the first Narcan kit to a patrol deputy. For those who are unaware, Representative Lynch was the author of HB 2040 which became effective 08-28-2014. HB2040 allows first responders to administer Narcan to overdose patients.

This event will begin at approximately 4:00 PM on Monday at the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department located at 301 Historical 66 east in Waynesville. Representative Lynch and myself will begin by saying a few words with questions answered, then the above will occur.

Pulaski County will be the first Sheriff's Department (and possibly law enforcement agency) in Missouri to carry Narcan.

“The Sheriff’s View” (#130) T-minus one week until its back to the classroom for most of our local students but your sheriff gets a one week head start on them. Twice a year Missouri Sheriffs are mandated by statute to attend a conference and training seminar, so once again that time has arrived. For a majority of this week I will be out of town absorbing more knowledge and interacting with other Sheriffs to discuss matters encountered by this profession. As always, I am sure there will be plenty to share with you, which will be done in next week’s article.

As many of you know the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has a Facebook page, which is an outlet to share information and stories with County residents and visitors. This page in intended to do nothing but share information, and “is not” to be considered an outlet to make contact with deputies or to make law enforcement reports. If you are in need of assistance or have additional issues for the Sheriff’s Department, please make use of a telephone and call (573) 774-6196, or visit this agency at 301 Historical 66 East in Waynesville. We ask this for many reasons but mostly due to State/Federal reporting requirements, along with being more expedient to your needs.

On Friday, many law enforcement officers throughout this State attended a funeral in Lebanon to say farewell to a friend and fellow officer, Missouri State Highway Corporal Neil Poynter. Corporal Poynter served this community and state for years, and made acquaintances with many individuals on both a personal and professional basis. He passed away last week at his home in Richland, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

One topic that we have written about on many occasions is about how our elderly citizens are targeted by scamsters in efforts to deprive them of funds they have been earned from a life time of hard work and financial planning. Last year several local agencies worked a joint venture with Federal investigators to shut down and criminally prosecute a large internet, telephone and mail fraud ring. Resulting from this, three individuals were found guilty in Federal Court and are now serving jail sentences.

Later this week a media release will be made about several groups that have stolen large amounts of money from elderly individuals in Pulaski County. One of our reserve detectives took on these cases a while back and vigilantly investigated them to conclusion. Numerous arrests are being made as the result of this investigation, with the suspects headed to the courthouse. Your Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department takes all crimes serious but when our young or elderly citizens are victimized, we become even more passionate about our jobs.

On Friday Pulaski County had its first water fatality of the year, and hopefully the last. This is just a reminder to all that no matter how experienced you may be with our rivers and streams, safety precautions and practices need implemented to assure a safe return home. Enjoy our waterways and please be safe when doing so.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook. As always, stay safe and do something positive for your community. Sheriff Ronald Long

Gunfire at Bar and Grill Results in Arrest An early morning incident at a local bar ended with a man allegedly attempting to shoot his ex-girlfriend with a pistol, and then fleeing the scene before authorities arrived.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:30 AM Saturday morning at the Chicken Bones Bar and Grill, located on Highway Z just outside of the St. Robert city limits. The alleged shooter, 28 year old Eric Hargrove, reportedly arrived at the bar and grill and soon discovered that his ex-girlfriend was there. Hargrove later confronted her in the parking lot, and according to witness statements, attempted to run the victim over with his truck. The first attempt to injure the victim was unsuccessful, so Hargrove removed a pistol from his vehicle and commenced to shoot at her. Neither the victim nor any bystanders were harmed, as all bullets missed them. Hargrove fled the location before officers and deputies arrived. Evidence was recovered at the scene that substantiated the assault.

Suspect Hargrove was taken into custody by Pulaski County deputies at around 10:00 AM, and incarcerated in the County jail. Hargrove is being criminally charged with Assault – First Degree and Armed Criminal Action; his bond has been set at $500,000.

On many occasions you have heard or read about how the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department firmly believes in, and practices, the team concept. This relates to all aspects of law enforcement, including working with and building relationships with surrounding agencies. The goal of having communities that are safer places to live and play is contingent on how well local, state and federal agencies work together. I can’t think of one law enforcement agency that can autonomously achieve the above mentioned objectives without reaching out to others for help.

With the above being said, several members of your Sheriff’s Department and I traveled to Rolla last week to meet with Chief Fagan, who was sworn into office last month as Rolla’s new police chief. In the past, Rolla PD and this agency have enjoyed a working relationship in which both agencies have benefited from mutual aid situations, mostly when dealing with drug enforcement and tactical situations. It is a pleasure getting to know Chief Fagan on a personal and professional basis, who brings to the Rolla community many years of law enforcement and leadership experience. Upon concluding, both agencies agreed to continue assisting each other, in which the Chief and I will be signing a new Mutual Aid agreement within the next few weeks.

One obstacle that the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has been dealing with for years is an aging vehicle fleet, which has become a very costly endeavor to this agency. Upon researching the matter, it was concluded that the purchase of new patrol cars instead of older ones with high mileage would be the most effective means to cure the aging fleet dilemma. Therefore, two years ago the County Commission consented to the purchase of five new patrol vehicles. For the past two years six new vehicles have entered into the fleet (one additional from an insurance claim), which has undoubtedly been the solution to the old and expensive patrol car problem. Detailed records are kept monthly that document and compare vehicle costs for your Sheriff’s Department. New patrol cars are actually less expensive than buying and maintaining older ones, which is saving the citizens of this county money. Plus, these new vehicles are more economical and All-Wheel-Drive, which enables deputies to travel during adverse weather conditions.

Of course, six new cars does not completely cure the above mentioned problems, so last week the County Commissioners agreed to the purchase of three more patrol vehicles using a lease/purchase plan. This gives the Sheriff’s Department the option to buy an additional vehicle(s) annually if the budget remains equal or above the current rate. These new cars will replace some that are as much as 14 years old, with numerous vehicles having an excess of 200,000 miles on them. Once the new vehicles have arrived, the Sheriff’s Department will have another sealed-bid auction for the old cars.

Unfortunately, over the past few weeks there has been some negative items regarding numerous dog attacks and canine issues throughout the county but this week we will end on a very positive note about our furry friends. A few days ago I had a meeting with a counsellor that makes use of a “comfort dog” that is trained and certified as a therapy canine. This individual has offered the service of her and the comfort dog to help with critical and emotional situations involving children in Pulaski County. During this meeting the idea of using the dog during the weekly jail inmate counselling sessions was also discussed, and agreed upon. After a few legal hoops are concluded, the counsellor and her comfort dog will soon be rendering their voluntary services to the citizens of this County.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

ST. ROBERT - A stalled tractor trailer carrying an oversized load has one eastbound lane of Interstate 44 closed at the 161 mile marker near Fort Leonard Wood at the Route Y exit in St. Robert.

The lane closure is expected to be in place all day on Friday. Message boards have been placed in the area to alert motorists.

The convoy was carrying a load of approximately 432,000 pounds. The tractor trailer carrying the oversized load stalled at approximately 6 p.m. on Thursday. Specialized cranes are being called in to move the oversized load.

For more information about this or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central. Follow the MoDOT Central Missouri District on Facebook for project updates.

I certainly appreciate the comments about the flags. I remember well as the mayor about 15 hears ago a vision to have military vehicles displayed around St Robert. I was able to find two M60 tanks, one came from Fort Leonard Wood (tan one) the other by Wal Mart was at Fort Drum and the city paid 25,000 back then to have it transport it here. The public works director at the time did an assume job coordinating the tanks movement and the requirements for their display. The one by Wal Mart had a pretty good paint job on it. The tan tank was given a fresh coat of paint before being placed by the Marine Detachment. The flag poles were converted from light poles from the old Wal Mart location. Since being elected this past April I have been working to clean up those memorials from no upkeep over the years. Somewhere over the years small flags were put up due to the poles being too close together. Then the cables broke and and flag poles became more rusted. That's when I arrived. After 15 years of no maintence. We have repainted the Camo tank. The tan tank the paint is in. The brushes around them has grown wild over the last 15 years. I decided on the observation of the flag poles condition, size of flags flown and cleanup of the areas. The plan to add the painted rock garden (to be added by Camo tank to recognize units on post, like NTC rotation units). Further upgrades to these memorials. Also, upgrades to the St Robert sign area by Kum and Go. So Please stand by, when making upgrades I thought I was the only one concerned about showing our support and pride by cleaning up these memorials. The focus in the past had not been on them. The tree comment reported is true, 15 years of tree growth and the flags cannot be seen, we need to address the problem, not cut the trees down. Whether a single flag pole at a proper height, good size flag and especially a plan to maintain all of this routinely. Not every 15 years. Again please wait till we are finished making these what I had visioned, something that we can be proud of. Look around St Robert, tanks, patriotic water tower, great welcome sign, Purple Heart city. Signs on walking bridge, etc. flags flown from fire truck. I want more displayed also, more to come, right now it's cleanup and fix up what we have and display it properly.

The week began with exciting news for your Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, after being notified that the Lake of the Ozarks Major Case Squad (LOMCS) had voted to accept us as a member agency. I covered this topic in a weekly article a few months ago, but in summary your Sheriff’s Department and other agencies within a three-county area will benefit by this venture. The LOMCS is comprised of multiple law enforcement agencies from the lake area, who have agreed to supply trained detectives to any member city or county department when faced with a large scale investigation.

The Major Case Squad can be activated in a multitude of scenarios, with the exception of narcotic investigations. The exclusion of narcotic investigations is due to a number of drug enforcement units already in existence. An exception to this exclusion would be if a drug investigation is incorporated into another major crime, such as Organized Crime or a homicide. Upon activation of the LOMCS for a Pulaski County incident, a number of out-of-agency detectives will be assigned to assist your Sheriff’s Department with the investigation, until completion. The services of the Major Case Squad comes with a minor price tag: only $100 a year!

A new topic about an old subject that has really come to the forefront in the law enforcement arena over the past few years is the topic (and crime) of Human Trafficking. Last year I was able to attend a conference in Columbia that Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler hosted regarding human trafficking. Sitting on the panel of experts for the seminar was an ex-Waynesville resident, Steve Dunlap. Steve and his wife are the founders of an organization that builds and manages rescue centers for female victims of human trafficking.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of another such rescue center that the Dunlaps were opening in a city south of Pulaski County. This new center will be the home to multiple females that have escaped the grips of this encompassing crime. Any female that is accepted into this rescue center will have a rent-free home for a two year period, while she undergoes a multi-faceted recovery program. The above rescue center will also be available to Pulaski County victims, in which plans are underway for a Pulaski County victim to possibly become a resident of the center.

I usually don’t comment on our national issues but it is difficult not to when thinking about the domestic terror attack that encompassed Chattanooga, Tennessee this past week. Another horrific attack on U.S. soil by someone that hated our nation. Over the past 15 years, we have seen an elevated number of such attacks and with the many terror organizations now in existence, we can conclude by saying this will not be the last such tragedy on U.S. soil.

With Fort Leonard Wood being a part of our community, attacks on Federal Military property become even more realistic, and alarming, for us all. Your Sheriff’s Department is all about keeping our community safe, so we are constantly preparing for the unexpected. I am hoping for, and will support, initiatives that will allow our military to protect themselves while working at off-base military facilities. Our sympathy and prayers go to the families of our fallen military men in Chattanooga last week.

In concluding, we are appreciative to all of you that contacted the Sheriff’s Department to wish the detective attacked by the German shepherd last week a speedy recovery. The injured detective is doing well and on the road to recovery.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

Sheriff Ronald Long DATE: July 15, 2015 REF: Sexual Assault Suspect Arrested, Deputy Injured Late Wednesday afternoon Pulaski County deputies served an arrest warrant in the 19,900 Block of Highway 28, at which time 56 year old David Milcendeau was apprehended for sexual assault charges. Members of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (PCERT) assisted in executing the warrant, due to it being considered a “high risk” situation. Milcendeau, a former police officer, was arrested without incident, after being coerced from the residence and away from the area where several loaded weapons and ammunition were located. During the apprehension a vicious German shepherd broke his chain and attacked a County detective causing significant, but not serious, injury. The dog also attempted to attack other deputies at the scene and had to be put down. According to witnesses, the suspect’s dog had a history of being vicious toward people. David Milcendeau is currently being held in the Pulaski County Jail for the charges of Child Molestation - First Degree, and Sodomy – First Degree. Milcendeau’s bond has been set at $500,000.

It’s back in the saddle for your Sheriff, after taking some time off last week to relax and visit some family members. The trilogy of the previous sentence should have also contained “fishing our Pulaski County rivers” but Mother Nature diverted my plans with the excessive rains. As you know, the rivers are dangerously high, which means that no one should challenge them, or try to navigate these waterways. Common sense and past experiences prevail with most regarding floods, but there always seems to be those who intentionally try to test the waters.

Point being, just last night (Saturday) two men moved some barricades and attempted to drive across a flooded roadway. The Gasconade River had also washed away the gravel road-bed under the water, so their vehicle immediately sank, leaving the men in a dangerous situation. This resulted in yet another water rescue by local fire departments, where firemen risked their lives to rescue these men from the raging Gasconade. This scenario could have easily resulted in a horrible ending for these men but they were fortunate, thanks to the heroic efforts of our local firemen.

On an exciting note for your Sheriff, this week the local Missouri Sheriff’s Academy will be hosting yet another graduation ceremony at the Parker Fine Arts Center in Waynesville, where dozens of men and women will be graduating. With this comes numerous new deputies to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. A female jailer that just completed the academy is being promoted to Road Deputy, and will be undertaking an approximate four month field training program before working solo. Several other graduates will be taking a Reserve Deputy position, with hopes of becoming a full-time deputy in the future. This is a proud moment for these graduates, their families and sponsoring agencies. The graduation is a public event, so I invite anyone who wishes to attend and support these future law enforcement officials.

Fraud, fraud, fraud; we see and hear about it almost constantly. Each week individuals contact the Sheriff’s Department to report some type of fraud in which they were victims. Resulting from an investigation involving local and Federal law enforcement officials, last year three county residents were arrested for partaking in a large-scale telephone and internet fraud scam, where they were stealing thousands of dollars from individuals on a monthly basis. Two weeks ago Federal agents notified the Sheriff’s Department that the last of these three criminals pled guilty to fraud charges in Federal Court, and will be spending some time in prison. The bleak side of this story is that there are many other fraudsters to take their place, so please wisely protect your assets!

I won’t go into a lot of detail since we have covered this topic on many past occasions, but once again I need to ask all dog owners to be responsible for their canines. Recently, there has been a large increase in the number of dog complaints and attacks; many that could have been easily prevented. With these attacks numerous individuals and pets have been injured, which includes deadly force having to be applied to the aggressive animals. In summary, if you own a vicious dog, be responsible and keep the animal properly contained. Remember, if your dog does attack another person or animal, by Missouri State Statute you may be criminally and/or civilly responsible!

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

Well, it does appear as if the “Dog Days of Summer” have arrived in Pulaski County. Along with the longest day of the year, the summer equinox brought to this area some hot and muggy temperatures. For a quick history lesson, the Greeks referred to the Dog Days of Summer as the period it was the hottest in their land, which caused dogs to behave abnormally. With the number of bizarre incidents your Sheriff’s Department has been handling lately, I do believe that the Greeks would have included abnormal human behavior to their list. Actually, when the temperatures are hot, my German shepherd contradicts the above by getting lethargic and lazy; it’s just too bad some of our citizens who demonstrate bad behavior during these times can’t do the same!

Last week the Sheriff’s Department received some great (and long awaited) news from a local medical provider regarding the availability of Naloxone (Narcan) to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. Thanks to State Representative Steve Lynch, and the many others who helped support this legislation, both the House of Representatives and Missouri Senate passed a statute last fall which allows first responders to carry the drug Narcan with them during the course of their duties. This means that law enforcement and fire officials that are not medical professionals can carry and administer Narcan to individuals who have overdosed on an opiate based drug, namely heroin.

Your Sheriff’s Department is now on the fast track of training deputies to administer Narcan, when needed. This will only be done when a medical professional is not on-scene, such as a Paramedic or Emergency Medical Technician. Once the deputies are trained, then Narcan will be placed in a number of patrol vehicles. The purchase of Narcan will be made from a financial donation from two concerned local citizens. Once this program is activated, I have been told that this department will be the first law enforcement agency in Missouri to have such.

Another endeavor is now being undertaken by the Sheriff’s Department to help deter crime and solve criminal cases in Pulaski County. A local retired law enforcement officer has decided to partially come out of retirement and assist this agency to develop a Crime Stoppers program. I am sure that many of you have heard of Crime Stoppers but for those who need further explanation, this is a community-based program where private citizens and local businessmen/women assist law enforcement agencies to combat crime. Crime Stoppers is operated by a board of individuals that collect monies and offer financial rewards to persons that wish to help law enforcement solve crimes. Crime Stoppers is a very successful nationwide program that has aided officers in solving thousands of criminal cases.

The above mentioned volunteer has generously agreed to take on the role of coordinating this effort. In the near future, he will attend a nationwide Crime Stoppers conference, where he will receive training to implement the program. I am very excited about the possibility of having a Crime Stopper’s program in Pulaski County, due to seeing how successful it has been for me personally in the past when working for agencies that utilized the Crime Stoppers program.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

Barricaded Shooter Surrenders to Authorities An early morning incident Tuesday involving an armed suspect resulted in a peaceful surrender to authorities after a 3 hour standoff. The incident began when a 57 year old man became involved in a dispute with family members, which continued to escalate until the suspect left the house armed with a handgun. The suspect then began walking down a residential street while shooting bullets at unknown targets. A few minutes later the subject once again returned to the home in an attempt to re-load, at which time he also threatened to harm anyone that tried to interfere with him. When authorities arrived at the scene and tried to make contact with the suspect, he pointed a pistol at one officer while escaping into a bedroom where he barricaded himself. A three hour standoff then ensued, which required tactical officers and hostage negotiators to resolve. The suspect surrendered to County Deputies and St. Robert Police Officers shortly after 5:00 AM on Tuesday morning. A search of the residence revealed a large variety of knives, three firearms and ammunition, along with a sizeable amount of marijuana. Also discovered during the search was an object believed to be an explosive device, which required the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Unit from Fort Leonard Wood, to remove and destroy. One of the guns located during the search was reported stolen from a burglary last year in Pulaski County. Charges are pending at this time while the suspect is undergoing a mental health evaluation. There were no known injuries or property damage resulting from this event. The incident occurred on Heart Drive, which is located approximately two miles north of St. Robert.

I was not raised in a racist home or environment. Living in the South, almost every White person has a small amount of racial awareness, simply beause of the numbers of negroes in this part of the country. But it is a superficial awareness. Growing up, in school, the White and black kids would make racial jokes toward each other, but all they were were jokes. Me and White friends would sometimes would watch things that would make us think that “blacks were the real racists” and other elementary thoughts like this, but there was no real understanding behind it.

The event that truly awakened me was the Trayvon Martin case. I kept hearing and seeing his name, and eventually I decided to look him up. I read the Wikipedia article and right away I was unable to understand what the big deal was. It was obvious that Zimmerman was in the right. But more importantly this prompted me to type in the words “black on White crime” into Google, and I have never been the same since that day. The first website I came to was the Council of Conservative Citizens. There were pages upon pages of these brutal black on White murders. I was in disbelief. At this moment I realized that something was very wrong. How could the news be blowing up the Trayvon Martin case while hundreds of these black on White murders got ignored?

From this point I researched deeper and found out what was happening in Europe. I saw that the same things were happening in England and France, and in all the other Western European countries. Again I found myself in disbelief. As an American we are taught to accept living in the melting pot, and black and other minorities have just as much right to be here as we do, since we are all immigrants. But Europe is the homeland of White people, and in many ways the situation is even worse there. From here I found out about the Jewish problem and other issues facing our race, and I can say today that I am completely racially aware.

Blacks

I think it is is fitting to start off with the group I have the most real life experience with, and the group that is the biggest problem for Americans. Niggers are stupid and violent. At the same time they have the capacity to be very slick. Black people view everything through a racial lense. Thats what racial awareness is, its viewing everything that happens through a racial lense. They are always thinking about the fact that they are black. This is part of the reason they get offended so easily, and think that some thing are intended to be racist towards them, even when a White person wouldnt be thinking about race. The other reason is the Jewish agitation of the black race. Black people are racially aware almost from birth, but White people on average dont think about race in their daily lives. And this is our problem. We need to and have to. Say you were to witness a dog being beat by a man. You are almost surely going to feel very sorry for that dog. But then say you were to witness a dog biting a man. You will most likely not feel the same pity you felt for the dog for the man. Why? Because dogs are lower than men. This same analogy applies to black and White relations. Even today, blacks are subconsciously viewed by White people are lower beings. They are held to a lower standard in general. This is why they are able to get away with things like obnoxious behavior in public. Because it is expected of them. Modern history classes instill a subconscious White superiority complex in Whites and an inferiority complex in blacks. This White superiority complex that comes from learning of how we dominated other peoples is also part of the problem I have just mentioned. But of course I dont deny that we are in fact superior. I wish with a passion that niggers were treated terribly throughout history by Whites, that every White person had an ancestor who owned slaves, that segregation was an evil an oppressive institution, and so on. Because if it was all it true, it would make it so much easier for me to accept our current situation. But it isnt true. None of it is. We are told to accept what is happening to us because of ancestors wrong doing, but it is all based on historical lies, exaggerations and myths. I have tried endlessly to think of reasons we deserve this, and I have only came back more irritated because there are no reasons. Only a fourth to a third of people in the South owned even one slave. Yet every White person is treated as if they had a slave owning ancestor. This applies to in the states where slavery never existed, as well as people whose families immigrated after slavery was abolished. I have read hundreds of slaves narratives from my state. And almost all of them were positive. One sticks out in my mind where an old ex-slave recounted how the day his mistress died was one of the saddest days of his life. And in many of these narratives the slaves told of how their masters didnt even allowing whipping on his plantation. Segregation was not a bad thing. It was a defensive measure. Segregation did not exist to hold back negroes. It existed to protect us from them. And I mean that in multiple ways. Not only did it protect us from having to interact with them, and from being physically harmed by them, but it protected us from being brought down to their level. Integration has done nothing but bring Whites down to level of brute animals. The best example of this is obviously our school system. Now White parents are forced to move to the suburbs to send their children to “good schools”. But what constitutes a “good school”? The fact is that how good a school is considered directly corresponds to how White it is. I hate with a passion the whole idea of the suburbs. To me it represents nothing but scared White people running. Running because they are too weak, scared, and brainwashed to fight. Why should we have to flee the cities we created for the security of the suburbs? Why are the suburbs secure in the first place? Because they are White. The pathetic part is that these White people dont even admit to themselves why they are moving. They tell themselves it is for better schools or simply to live in a nicer neighborhood. But it is honestly just a way to escape niggers and other minorities. But what about the White people that are left behind? What about the White children who, because of school zoning laws, are forced to go to a school that is 90 percent black? Do we really think that that White kid will be able to go one day without being picked on for being White, or called a “white boy”? And who is fighting for him? Who is fighting for these White people forced by economic circumstances to live among negroes? No one, but someone has to.

Here I would also like to touch on the idea of a Norhtwest Front. I think this idea is beyond stupid. Why should I for example, give up the beauty and history of my state to go to the Norhthwest? To me the whole idea just parralells the concept of White people running to the suburbs. The whole idea is pathetic and just another way to run from the problem without facing it. Some people feel as though the South is beyond saving, that we have too many blacks here. To this I say look at history. The South had a higher ratio of blacks when we were holding them as slaves. Look at South Africa, and how such a small minority held the black in apartheid for years and years. Speaking of South Africa, if anyone thinks that think will eventually just change for the better, consider how in South Africa they have affirmative action for the black population that makes up 80 percent of the population. It is far from being too late for America or Europe. I believe that even if we made up only 30 percent of the population we could take it back completely. But by no means should we wait any longer to take drastic action.

Anyone who thinks that White and black people look as different as we do on the outside, but are somehow magically the same on the inside, is delusional. How could our faces, skin, hair, and body structure all be different, but our brains be exactly the same? This is the nonsense we are led to believe. Negroes have lower Iqs, lower impulse control, and higher testosterone levels in generals. These three things alone are a recipe for violent behavior. If a scientist publishes a paper on the differences between the races in Western Europe or Americans, he can expect to lose his job. There are personality traits within human families, and within different breeds of cats or dogs, so why not within the races? A horse and a donkey can breed and make a mule, but they are still two completely different animals. Just because we can breed with the other races doesnt make us the same. In a modern history class it is always emphasized that, when talking about “bad” things Whites have done in history, they were White. But when we lern about the numerous, almost countless wonderful things Whites have done, it is never pointed out that these people were White. Yet when we learn about anything important done by a black person in history, it is always pointed out repeatedly that they were black. For example when we learn about how George Washington carver was the first nigger smart enough to open a peanut.

On another subject I want to say this. Many White people feel as though they dont have a unique culture. The reason for this is that White culture is world culture. I dont mean that our culture is made up of other cultures, I mean that our culture has been adopted by everyone in the world. This makes us feel as though our culture isnt special or unique. Say for example that every business man in the world wore a kimono, that every skyscraper was in the shape of a pagoda, that every door was a sliding one, and that everyone ate every meal with chopsticks. This would probably make a Japanese man feel as though he had no unique traditional culture.

I have noticed a great disdain for race mixing White women within the White nationalists community, bordering on insanity it. These women are victims, and they can be saved. Stop.

Jews

Unlike many White naitonalists, I am of the opinion that the majority of American and European jews are White. In my opinion the issues with jews is not their blood, but their identity. I think that if we could somehow destroy the jewish identity, then they wouldnt cause much of a problem. The problem is that Jews look White, and in many cases are White, yet they see themselves as minorities. Just like niggers, most jews are always thinking about the fact that they are jewish. The other issue is that they network. If we could somehow turn every jew blue for 24 hours, I think there would be a mass awakening, because people would be able to see plainly what is going on.

I dont pretend to understand why jews do what they do. They are enigma.

Hispanics

Hispanics are obviously a huge problem for Americans. But there are good hispanics and bad hispanics. I remember while watching hispanic television stations, the shows and even the commercials were more White than our own. They have respect for White beauty, and a good portion of hispanics are White. It is a well known fact that White hispanics make up the elite of most hispanics countries. There is good White blood worht saving in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and even Brasil.

But they are still our enemies.

East Asians

I have great respent for the East Asian races. Even if we were to go extinct they could carry something on. They are by nature very racist and could be great allies of the White race. I am not opposed at all to allies with the Northeast Asian races.

Patriotism

I hate the sight of the American flag. Modern American patriotism is an absolute joke. People pretending like they have something to be proud while White people are being murdered daily in the streets. Many veterans believe we owe them something for “protecting our way of life” or “protecting our freedom”. But im not sure what way of life they are talking about. How about we protect the White race and stop fighting for the jews. I will say this though, I myself would have rather lived in 1940's American than Nazi Germany, and no this is not ignorance speaking, it is just my opinion. So I dont blame the veterans of any wars up until after Vietnam, because at least they had an American to be proud of and fight for.

An Explanation

To take a saying from a film, “I see all this stuff going on, and I dont see anyone doing anything about it. And it pisses me off.”. To take a saying from my favorite film, “Even if my life is worth less than a speck of dirt, I want to use it for the good of society.”.

I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.

Unfortunately at the time of writing I am in a great hurry and some of my best thoughts, actually many of them have been to be left out and lost forever. But I believe enough great White minds are out there already.

Several weeks ago the State of Missouri welcomed a new superintendent to their Highway Patrol, Colonel T. Johnson. Since taking his appointment Colonel Johnson has been making his way around the state, attending meetings at numerous Troop Headquarters with local Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Last week Chief Deputy Groves and I attended such a meeting at Troop I in Rolla, with Colonel Johnson and approximately 30 other Highway Patrol supervisors and local law enforcement administrators.

Numerous topics and individual conversations consumed the two hour meeting, with the main focus being the cooperative efforts needed between all law enforcement agencies to better serve the people of our communities. The keynote speaker was a Captain from the Joplin Police Department, who was tasked with coordinating law enforcement activities during and after the devastating Joplin tornado in 2011. During this endeavor, over 500 law enforcement officers from around this State assisted the City of Joplin after the tornado. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was instrumental in Joplin’s recovery efforts, just as they were with the citizens of Pulaski County during the deadly flood of 2013. Colonel Johnson assured each Sheriff and Police Chief attending last week’s meeting that one of the Highway Patrol’s main objectives will be to assist local law enforcement agencies with manpower and equipment during their time of need.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend another graduation ceremony for the Marine Corps Military Police Academy on Ft. Leonard Wood. Being both honored and humbled are two words that come to mind when describing the feeling of being a guest speaker to 67 graduates and their families from the Military Police Academy. This select group of elite soldiers were being assigned to Marine Corps bases in America and around the world, including several to a Presidential detail in Washington D.C. Being part of such an event reinforces the fact that the people of this country are protected by the finest military in the world.

Those who have been readers of these articles for the past years have heard both retired Sheriff J.B. King and myself speak about a Sheriff’s job being as much like a corporate CEO, as that of a law enforcement administrator. For the past two months, the above is reflected as both the County of Pulaski and this Sheriff’s Department in undergoing a State audit. A State audit occurs every 4 years and this is our lucky year! During this event auditors are reviewing how the Sheriff’s Department handles it’s assets. Overseeing all of the money and property for this agency is a major endeavor, especially when every penny and piece of equipment needs to be accounted for. The result of the audit will be posted toward the end of this year and I feel very positive about the outcome.

This last topic changed while writing today’s article. I was originally going to brag about how responsible citizens of this community were during these floods over the past few days. Initially, it appeared as if everyone respected the forces of Mother Nature and dared not to challenge our recent flood waters. This all changed Sunday morning when 4 men thought they could safely navigate the roaring Gasconade River in canoes.

After failing to appear at their destination, a concerned friend reported the men missing. A search then ensured, which included 4 local fire departments, 3 rescue river boats and Sheriff’s deputies, along with a helicopter. The men were located late Sunday afternoon near the Riddle Bridge, all safe but shy of one canoe which they lost in the flooded river. At their next social gathering I am sure these men will talk about how they survived the flood of 2015, but I hope they now realize how dangerous their actions were and of the resources expended searching for them.

This concludes another week’s summary as your Pulaski County sheriff, and I hope to see you here again next week. For more information about the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and other related items of interest, please visit our website (www.pcsheriff2.com), or on Facebook.

I know for a fact that at the current rate of pay we are getting our jobs back from over seas. But we are used to having more than our parents did and things work differently now.. Fortunately those people can get food stamps so that helps make sure kids get fed, unless parents sell them.

(FORT LEONARD WOOD)–BIG FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE AT FORT LEONARD WOOD. THE ANNUAL FAMILY AND MORALE, RECREATION, AND WELFARE CELEBRATION WILL BE HELD ON THE FOURTH AT THREE O’ CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON ON GAMMON FIELD. THERE WILL BE A CAR SHOW FROM 3 TO 6 P-M. THE 3-99TH ARMY ROCK BAND “ROUGH RIDERS” WILL PERFORM AT 5:30. THERE WILL BE WELCOMING REMARKS AT 7:30, A SALUTE TO THE UNION AT 7:40, AND THE CLASSIC ROCK EXPERIENCE WILL ENTERTAIN AT 8 P-M. A TRADITIONAL FIREWORKS DISPLAY WILL LIGHT UP THE SKY AT 9:30. THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE A PETTING ZOO FOR CHILDREN, PONY RIDES, GAMES, AND MORE. THE EVENT IS FESTIVAL-SEATING AND SO, LAWN CHAIRS ARE ENCOURAGED. - See more at: http://www.fortleonardwoodmwr.com/images/Jul%2010/4JUL15-Independence-Day.gif